Tesla’s Business Leasing Options

While the first Tesla taxi cabs and wine tour limos are already on the road, Tesla Motors has announced an official leasing option for business owners. Though Elon’s electric automaker once again posed some sketchy math to claim a $408 monthly payment, it’s still an important move in Tesla’s effort to dominate the auto market.

The business lease plan follows on Tesla’s initial consumer leasing program, which was met with skepticism for some fuzzy math that assumed we were all worth $100 an hour and paying $5.00 a gallon for fuel. This new lease scheme does the same thing, claiming you’ll save $236 in gas money over your 20 MPG luxury car that you have to fill with $4.90 a gallon premium fuel. Tesla also assumes over $300 a month in tax benefits, among other assumptions, to get to that $408 “effective” cost.

The actual lease deal will cost you $5,000 down for a 36 month payment that allots you 15,000 miles of driving per year. The real monthly payment is $1,021 per month, meaning you’ll end up paying about half the cost of a base 85 kWh Model S, before tax credits. For business owners still skeptical of assuming the resale risk of this brand new kind of car, this new leasing plan provides an extra layer of security. Electric automakers and motorcycle builders alike are finding that by offering leasing plans that absolve consumers of resale liability, they can cast a wider net around potential EV buyers.

Sketchy math aside, business owners from coast-to-coast can benefit from the low fuel costs and bevy of tax benefits offered for electric vehicles. Livery services, delivery companies, or any other job that requires a lot of daily local driving, and I expect plenty of companies that could find a use for the Model S. Alas, the business leasing scheme is only available in 10 states to start with. These states are CA, CO, CT, FL, IL, MA, MD, NY, TX, and WA. Yes, Texas, the state that makes buying a Model S as frustrating as possible.

About the Author

Christopher DeMorro A writer and gearhead who loves all things automotive, from hybrids to HEMIs, Chris can be found wrenching or writing- or else, he's running, because he's one of those crazy people who gets enjoyment from running insane distances.

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